Coach Buddy Ryan released Carter with the famous, seemingly crazy damnation -- "all he does is catch touchdowns." Carter had 19 TDs in 89 receptions. What trickled out after the release was that Carter was struggling with substance abuse, which included battles with alcohol, ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana.

Although Carter didn't have quite the resume that Jackson did at the time of his release, Carter eventually cleaned up and went on to have a Hall of Fame career.

Ryan's decision to release Carter 24-years ago is now viewed by the wideout as a turning point in his life, and when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013, Carter thanked Ryan.

“Buddy Ryan drafted me, and he tried to grow me up in the league," Carter said during his speech. "What Buddy Ryan did was the best thing that ever happened for me when he cut me and told me I couldn't play for his football team."

Chip Kelly delivered the same message to Jackson when he cut the wideout because of off-the-field issues. Missed practices, poor work ethic, and the company Jackson keeps off the field all weighed into the decision, a source within the Eagles organization told NJ.com, which also reported that Jackson's ties to alleged L.A. gang members were also troubling.

Carter isn't the only ex-Eagle hoping Jackson can turn things around. Former Eagles' safety Brian Dawkins said Tuesday that he hopes Jackson takes the release as a chance to "look in the mirror" and figure out why he was cut after a Pro Bowl season.